A unique exploration of sex and religion, covering a wide range of issues from marriage and celibacy, passion and love, to veiling, mystical union, and symbolism.

Exploring one of the most controversial topics in contemporary theology, this scholarly volume reveals what the world's great faiths—East and West—preach about sexuality, with a special emphasis on American religion. What do the world's most important religious texts have to say about one of humanity's favorite activities? Editors David W. Machacek and Melissa M. Wilcox have brought together top scholars in the field of religious studies to ask and answer these critical questions. Carefully researched, elegantly written, and respectfully presented, Sexuality and the World's Religions explores the intersection of the spiritual and the carnal in Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and African and Native American spiritual traditions. A separate section explores critical religious and sexual topics in American society, including the role of spirituality in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities; the role of sex in the modern witchcraft community; and the ever thorny problem of religion and sexual liberty. Reconciling sexuality and spirituality in every human soul is one of religion's most important tasks. Students and other readers will find this timely and comprehensive volume of interest in exploring these issues.

This new volume offers enlightening new perspectives on the roles of love, sex, and gender in different faiths and covers issues from gender politics to religious ecstasy.

Looks at issues concerning sexuality and religion in nine of the world's religions, including Daoism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Catholicism, covering such topics as sexual orientation, reproductive rights, and sexual rituals.

"Spanning thousands of years, this new collection brings together writings and teachings about sex, marriage, and family from the Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions. Chosen and introduced by leading scholars of each religion, the volume's selections include a wide array of traditional texts. The book also contains contemporary writings, responding to the changing mores and conditions of modern life." "Sex, Marriage and Family in World Religions reveals the similarities and differences among the various religions and the development of ideas and teachings within each tradition. It sheds light on each religion's views on a wide variety of subjects, including sexuality and sexual pleasure, the meaning and purpose of marriage, the role of betrothal, the status of women, the place of romance, grounds for divorce, celibacy, and sexual deviance."--BOOK JACKET.